Zambia turns to China to bridge its energy gap

A major deal with China will strengthen Zambia’s erratic electricity supply.

By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions

It is hoped that a USD1.5 billion energy deal signed recently on banks of the Yangtze River in China’s Anhui Province will help reduce Zambia’s chronic power shortages.

Ten days ago, the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and the China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) signed a deal in the town of Wuhu that will add about 900 megawatts (MW) of new generation capacity to Zambia’s national grid.

Hydropower on the Yangtze

The town of Wuhu is built on the southeastern bank of the Yangtze, and the river is a defining feature of the city’s geography.

Stretching almost 6400km the Yangtze is the third largest river in the world after the Nile and the Amazon.

There are 30 large hydropower dams along the Yangtze and its major tributaries.

But talks between delegations were not about hydropower or new hydropower dams in Zambia. In fact, it was about diversifying Zambia’s power supply away from hydropower.

Solving the hydro problem

Zambia’s power sector has faced persistent challenges in recent years because of its heavy reliance on hydropower.

Frequent droughts have reduced water levels in the Kariba Dam, which has resulted in load-shedding that affected households, business and the mining sector which is key in Zambia’s economy.

The CMEC deal aims to solve that problem. The project will include a 300MW solar plat, a 300MW wind power facility and a 300MW coal-fired thermal plant.

This mix is designed to improve both sustainability and reliability.

Zambia’s goal to meet domestic demand

The new investment is part of Zambia’s broader national strategy to expand installed generation capacity to about 10,000MW by 2031.

If this goal is realised, it will position Zambia to meet domestic demand and become a potential regional electricity exporter within southern Africa.

China’s involvement reflects its long-standing role in financing and constructing major infrastructure projects in Zambia and across Africa.

Through CMEC, the project combines financing, engineering, and construction expertise in a single package.

WhyAfrica visited Zambia last month as part of the 2026 WhyAfrica Business Trip to Zambia.

Image: Electricity supply in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia, a key mining region in Zambia. Image credit: Leon Louw for WhyAfrica.

Zambia turns to China to bridge its energy gap